Parents’ contribution is paramount in preventing children to go on street

“Parents, we are the key to find solutions to problems in our families especially taking care of our children

Parents are urged to contribute in putting an end to street children problem by providing good education to their children, and preventing family problems that incites children to go on street.

Family problems including poverty, misunderstanding between parents, divorce, and domestic violence among others are major causes that incite children to go on street.

Nyirankundiye Léocadie, a resident in Gisozi sector says her child went on street because of non-favorable conditions of life in their family which pushed the child to go on street and became a beggar.

She insists that a child from a stable family without conflicts and other problems can’t go on street, as the family can provide all the necessaries to the children including required education.

“Parents, we are the key to find solutions to problems in our families especially taking care of our children education and welfare as poverty is among problems which incite them to go on street”

Agnes Uwambayinzobe whose child was on street also testify that eradicating street children problem should start within families. She adds that whenever children are in security and can get the basics from their families, no child can go on street.

She says that her child went on street because the family couldn’t afford to feed him. But after being rehabilitated by Abadacogora-Intwari project which also provided support to the family, her child didn’t go back on street.

Father Donatien Twizeyumuremyi, director of Caritas Kigali also admit that most of street children go on street due to poverty and conflicts in family.

“Caritas Kigali aims at supporting poor people and other vulnerable people. Street children are among them, reason why Abadacogora-Intwari take care of those children rehabilitating them, sending them back to school and supporting their families to enable them fulfill their children’s basic needs” He says.

Father Twizeyumuremyi adds that street children problem persists because family problems which incites children to on street do not find solutions too.

Even though there are no statistics showing numbers of children who who have passed by Abadacogora-Intwari center due to the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi, Father Twizeyumuremyi says that they are many, as the center started taking care og street children in 1984.

Some of the children were not registered as it was not even easy to make a long lasting archive.

Even though statistics cannot be found due to mentioned challenges, more than two billion Rwandan Francs were spent on activities of rehabilitating street children 15years ago.

“Taking account on that and considering that we have been taking care of those children from 34 years ago, you realize that we have spent a lot of money” says Father Twizeyumuremyi.

He adds that Caritas Kigali alone cannot eradicate this problem as it belongs to the Rwandan society in general.

Caritas Kigali is pleased by the way the government of Rwanda is fighting against this problem in partnership with other organisations in that sector. Much efforts should be invested in building Rwandan society as suggested Caritas Kigali.

It also ask the government to support non-government organizations operating in this sector by treating them as partners rather than treating them as profit organisations. This means that the government shouldn’t hesitate to support those organisations, be it financially, logistically, or technically in building capacity.

Dr. Alvera Mukabaramba, state minister in charge of social affairs in the Minisitry of Local government says that the government has taken measures including promoting the sovereignty of Rwandan society, creating rehabilitation centers, and launching the health insurance scheme among others.